Strand detector, clamp and severing device



Jan. 30, 1968 J. R. SMITH 3,355,991

STRAND DETECTOR, CLAMP AND SEVERING DEVICE Filed Jan. 19. 1965 2532 2328252928 v x 1 (l/A' INVENTOR- Attorney JOSEPH R. SMITH United States Patent M 3,365,991 STRAND DETECTOR, CLAMP AND SEVERING DEVICE Joseph R. Smith, Greensboro, N.C., assignor to Mechanical Industries, Inc, Greensboro, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Jan. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 426,624 13 Claims. (Ci. 33-370) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLQSURE A strand detector, clamp and severing device for mounting on a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling in which a pair of strand cooperating clamping members pivotally hinged together will releasably clamp a strand with one of the members being yieldably biased to the other member into a closed strand clamping position with means on one of the members for tenisoning a strand portion releasably clamped within the members, and severing means on one of the members for severing a strand clamped between the members. A strand detector having a latch-seating means thereon is pivotally supported on one of the strand clamping members to engage with a latch means that communicates with a cocking lever secured to the other clamping member whereby upon detection of strand irregularity, loss of tension or severance, the strand detector means will actuate the latch seating means for actuating the latch means to release the cocking lever permitting the strand members to move into the strand clamping position to tension and sever a strand clamped between said members.

The present invention is for a strand detector, severing and clamping device and relates more particularly to a device for detecting discontinuity, slack or irregularity in a continuously traveling strand or yarn whereby upon sensing or detecting discontinuity, slack or irregularity the strand or yarn will be clamped and/or severed at a position remote from the detection or sensing location.

Various types of strand or yarn stop motions, tension and slu'b detectors and clamping devices, electrical as well as mechanical, have been employed in strand feeding, winding, reeling, twisting and drawing arts whether in textiles, rope or wire manufacturing. Presently, in the processing of false twist and texturized yarns in which a continuously traveling thermoplastic yarn is positively fed by means of suitable supply or feed rolls to a plasticizing or heating zone, yarn discontinuity or severance between the heating zone and the yarn feed rolls generally will cause the severed yarn end to wind up continuously on the rotating feed rolls until an operator notices that the end of yarn is down and terminates the yarn supply from the yarn package. Failure to detect the end down immediately, as is usually the case, will permit the downed yarn end to be wound continuously on the positively revolving yarn feed rolls or other feeding device thereby producing a bulky unusable yarn winding resulting in considerable yarn waste, machine downtime and expense in labor for removing the yarn convolutions before resetting and continuing whatever processing is being performed on the machine.

Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide a device for detecting yarn discontinuity, severance, slack or some types irregularity at a position or location in the processing that is removed from a yarn supply location and for terminating the yarn supply before the yarn is introduced for continuous feeding to the yarn feed supply.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a yarn clamping device in which a strand detector or yarn feeler engages and senses strand continuity at a location re- Patented Jam 3t), 1968 moved from a strand feeding device while maintaining a strand clamping member in a cocked open position whereby upon strand discontinuity or slack, the feeler senses the discontinuity, slack or irregularity in the strand to release the clamp in order to prevent the strand from being supplied to the strand feeding device.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a yarn clamping and severing attachment for yarn processing machines to detect yarn irregularities, including loss of tension, at a location remote from a positive yarn feeding mechanism, and upon detecting certain irregularities, the strand is severed and clamped to prevent further yarn feeding to the yarn feeding mechanism.

Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a strand detecting, clamping and severing mechanism to terminate strand supply to a strand feeding device by detecting strand discontinuity on the discharge side of a strand feeding apparatus and actuating a mechanism to terminate the supply of strand to the strand feeding device.

Still other objects of this invention are to provide a strand clamping and severing device mechanism which exerts negligible tension on a continuously traveling yarn or strand which is provided with a trigger for engaging a strand or yarn to release a strand clamping member upon yarn discontinuity, and one which requires minimum maintenance and may be reset without interfering with adjacent strand clamping and severing attachments.

Other objectives and many of the attendant advantages of this strand detecting, severing and clamping device will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the strand and yarn processing arts from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention taken in conjuction with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts through the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side eleva-tional view of a strand detecting, severing and clamping device of this invention mounted on a bracket in conjunction with a positively driven strand feed roll illustrated in the closed clamping position upon strand discontinuity;

FIG. 2 is a reduced perspective vie-w with the feed roll removed and a portion of the bracket shown in outline form of the strand detecting, severing and clamping device of FIG. 1 illustrated in the cocked open position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the upper portions of the device shown in the closed clamping and severing position illustrated in FIG. 1 depicting the clamping and severing of a single strand;

Fit}. 4 is a partial end view of the device illustrating the strand detector for sensing strand discontinuity and commencing to release the cocked upper clamping member; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating an intermediate position of the released upper clamping member between the cocked open position and the closed position.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is illustrated a strand detector, severing and clamping device 10 mounted on a bracket 11 to be supported on a suitable machine frame on which a continuously traveling strand or yarn is being supplied during winding, reeling, spinning, twisting or processing of one nature or another. For purpose of this specification the terms yarn and" strand will be used interchangeably without limitation. A yarn feed roll 12 is bearingly supported on the bracket 11 through the elongated slots 13 provided in the bearing support bracket clips 14 mounted on the bracket 11 on opposite sides thereof,

The yarn or strand feed roller 12 may be positively driven by suitable drive means or another type of yarn feed- 3 ing mechanism may be employed to feed a strand of yarn I5 for processing such as supplying yarn to a heating zone on a Leesona Superloft false twist apparatus leading to a false twist spindle or other comparable equipment. Yarn is removed from a yarn supply package and led or fed to the yarn feed roll before which suitable yarn guides and tension control members may be employed over which feed roll one or more convolutions of the yarn are wrapped to reduce yarn slippage and the yarn leading or exiting from the feed roll 12 is then fed to a false twist spindle through a heating zone or other processing components.

Generally, as is the practice now on some machines, in the event that a yarn is severed between the positive yarn feed roll and the false twist spindle or heating zone or other processing members, the loose yarn end will become wrapped around the feed roll 12 or shaft and additional yarn will continue to be fed from the yarn supply package to the yarn feed roll or shaft forming numerous convolutions thereon unless an operator detects the end down and rethreads the yarn immediately at the end down.

In the preferred embodiment of the strand detector, severing and clamping device it the yarn 15 will travel over a lower strand clamping member 16 in which a pair of upwardly projecting ribs 17 that are laterally spaced from each other will support the yarn 15 traveling transversely over the rib tops. A yarn severing blade 18, which may be one-half of a double edge razor blade, is releasably clamped in the groove 19 that extends longitudinally in the base 20 of the lower clamping member 16. Setscrew 21 is threadably retained in the base 20 to engage and releasably clamp the blade 18 in the groove 19 with the upper yarn cutting edge of the blade being positioned substantially in the same plane or slightly elevated from the tops of the ribs 17.

An upper strand clamping member 23 is pivotally supported on the lower member 16 and at one end thereof through the hinge pin 24 that extends through the ends of ribs 17 and the depending ribs 25 that project from the base 26 on the upper clamping member 23. In addition to the depending laterally spaced-apart inner ribs 25 on the upper clamping member, there is a pair of outer ribs 27 laterally spaced from each other and from the ribs 25 which also project from the base 26 of the upper clamping member 23. The ribs 25 and 27 are spaced so as to cooperatively receive the ribs 17 within the intervening recesses 28 while the blade 18 is received within the recess 29 between the ribs 25. The projection of the ribs 17, 25 and 27 are such that a strand or yarn will be engaged and securely clamped in the closed condition of the upper and lower strand clamping members 16 and 23 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The top portions of each of the ribs 17, 25 and 27 will engage and be seated against the recesses 28 provided in the upper clamping member 23 while the projecting ribs 25 and 27 will engage within the recesses 3t provided in the lower clamping member 16 formed between the ribs 17 and the blade 18 with the yarn being clamped against the flat sections 31 and 32 of each of the lower and upper clamping members 16 and 23.

The yarn severing .or cutting edge of blade 18 will engage the flat surface 32 within the recess 29 of the upper clamping member 23 to sever yarn 15 as the upper clamping member reaches the closed clamped position during which closing interval the yarn 15 will be tensioned by the circuitous path it must assume by engagement with the ribs 17, 25 and 27.

A helical spring 34 is secured at its opposite ends to the upper clamping member stud 35 and to the lower clamping member stud 36 and yieldably urges or biases the upper clamping member 23 to the closed clamping position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. A flat ofifset leaf spring or resilient cocking lever 37 is secured to one side of the upper clamping member 23 and extends substantial- X. ly parallel thereto and is provided with an offset portion 8, a return bend portion 39 and a camming portion 40. The flat spring or resilient cocking lever 37 extends beyond the end 41 of the upper clamping member 23.

The base 20 of the lower clamping member is provided with a downwardly extending boss 42 suitably drilled to rotatably receive an L-shaped strand detector link or arm 43 that extends through and is secured to the boss 42 with the yarn detector arm or finger 44 having a degree bend from arm 43 to reach into the path of the continuously traveling yarn 15. A cylindrical stud 45 having a knurled end is securely mounted 011 the other end of arm 43 adjacent to the front eide 54 of the base 20 and is provided with a latch-receiving recess 46 and a latch'seating shoulder 47 preferably extending diametrically across the stud with the recess 46 having a depth of at least the radius of the cylindrical stud. A Z-shaped releasing latch 49 is pivotally mounted to the lower clamping member by securement to the stud 50 that is rotatably mounted in the boss 51 and has a depending portion 48 for releasable engagement within the latch-receiving recess 46 for engagement with shoulder 47 on stud 45. The other end of the Z-shaped latch 49 is provided with a lever locking portion 52 for releasably engaging the back side of the return bend camming portion 4d of the cocking lever 37.

It will be readily apparent that the strand or yarn detector, severing and clamping device It) that may be mounted to the frame 11 by means of the stud 55 threadably secured to the lug 56 may be positioned on any suitable bracket with the length, positioning and direction of the arms 43 and 44 depending upon the location of the strand to be detected or sensed during yarn travel with the arms exerting a minimum of tension to the traveling yarn and to be sufiiciently sensitive to that degree of slack, yarn discontinuity or irregularity to actuate the releasing latch 49. In the embodiment illustrated, the shoulder 57 is illustrated as being parallel with the arm 44, however, this orientation may vary depending upon the direction of yarn travel and the positioning or orientation of the clamping members.

In operation, the device may be positioned in the illustrated embodiment to the cocking position, FIG. 2, by elevating arm 44 to the horizontal position and then pivoting upper clamping member 23 from the closed to the open position as shown in FIG. 2 thereby permitting the stud 45 to rotate counterclockwise to seat the Z- shaped latch portion 48 in the recess 46 while the cam 40 on the resilient cocking lever 37 will engage portion 52 on the Z-shaped latch and the final position portion 52 will be seated against the edge 53 on the rear of portion 40 triggering the lever mechanism as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Upon yarn discontinuity, slack or loss of tension or any other irregularity for which the device has been set, depending upon the sensitivity of the device, arm 44 will rotate in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, to release portion 48 of Z- shaped latch 49 from the recess 46 by the weight of the arm 44 upon rotating the arm 43 and the stud 45. Clockwise rotation of the Z-shaped latch 4-9 will disengage portion 52 from the rear surface 53 of the cocking lever 37 enabling spring 34 to pivot the upper clamping member 23 into the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 with the disengagement of the Z-shaped latch 49 appearing as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Obviously many modifications and variations may be made in the various clamping members, ribs, the severing member, the configuration of the yarn detecting arm, and in the actuating linkage mechanism without departing from the purpose and spirit of this invention and such modifications are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A strand detector, clamp and severing device for mounting on a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling for processing or winding comprising; upper and lower strand clamping members, said lower member being mounted in the path of strand travel, said upper member pivotally connected to said lower member and yieldably biased for clamping cooperation therewith into a closed strand-clamping position, means on at least one of said members for clamping and tensioning a strand portion within said members in the closed position of said members, strand severing means on at least one of said members, strand detector means rotatably mounted and extending from said lower member for engaging a traveling strand, latch means cooperatively linked to said detector means and said upper member for releasably retaining the upper member in a cocked position where upon strand discontinuity or slack said strand detector means actuates said latch means releasing the upper member from a cocked position for clamping and severing the strand.

2. A strand detector and severing device for mounting on a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling for processing or winding comprising; upper and lower strand clamping members, said lower member being mounted in the path of strand travel and said upper member pivotally connected to said lower member and yieldably biased for cooperation therewith into a closed position, strand severing means on at least one of said members, strand dector means extending from said lower member engaging a traveling strand, latch means cooperatively linked to said detector means and said upper member for releasably retaining the upper member in a cocked position where upon strand discontinuity or slack said strand detector means actuates said latch means releasing the upper member from a cocked position for severing the strand.

3. A strand detector and clamping device for mounting on a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling for processing or winding comprising; upper and lower strand clamping members, said lower member being mounted in the path of strand travel, said upper member pivotally connected to said lower member and yieldably biased for cooperation therewith into a closed position, means on at least one of said members for clamping a strand in the closed position of said members, strand detector means extending from said lower member engaging a traveling strand latch, means cooperatively linked to said detector means and said upper member for releasably retaining the upper member in a cooked position where upon strand discontinuity or slack said strand detector means actuates said latch means releasing the upper member from a cocked position thereby clamping the strand.

4. A strand detector, clamp and severing device for monitoring a continuous strand traveling for processing, winding or reeling comprising; strand clamping members, said members being mounted in the path of strand travel, said members pivotally connected to each other and yieldably biased for clamping cooperation into a closed position, means on at least one of said members for clamping and tensioning a strand in the closed position of said members, cooperating strand severing means operatively communicating with said members, strand detector means extending from one of said members engaging a traveling strand, latch means cooperatively linked to said detector means and said upper member releasably retaining said members in a cocked position where upon strand irregularity said strand detector means actuates said latch means releasing the members from a cocked position for clamping and severing the strand.

5. A strand detector, clamp and severing device for mounting on a machine on which a strand is traveling for processing or winding comprising; upper and lower strand clamping members through which a strand may travel in the open position of said members in the closed position, said members connected to each other and 6 yieldably biased for strand clamping cooperation, means on at least one of said members for clamping and tensioning a strand in the closed position of said members, strand severing means cooperating with at least one of said members, strand detector means communieating with said lower member for engaging a traveling strand, latch means cooperatively linked to said detector means and said upper member for releasably retaining said members in a cooked position whereby strand irregularity causes the strand detector means to actuate said latch means thereby releasing the members from a cocked position to clamp and sever the strand.

6. A strand detector, clamping and severing device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling comprising; a base portion to be secured to said machine, said base portion having means over which a strand may travel, strand severing means mounted in said base portion, a strand clamping member yieldably biased to a closed clamping position pivotally mounted on said base portion, said pivotable clamping member having means for tensioning and clamping a strand for severance by said severing means, a strand detector means rotatably mounted on said base portion and reaching to a position displaced from said base portion, latch means for cooperatively retaining said clamping member and said upper member in a cocked position as said detector means engages a traveling strand, and means for releasing said strand clamping member from the cocked position upon strand discontinuity or slack upon actuation of said latch means through said detector means.

'7. A strand detector and clamping device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling comprising; a base portion to be secured to said machine, said base portion having means over which a strand may travel, a strand clamping member biased to a closed clamping position mounted on said base portion, said clamping member having means for tensioning and clamping a strand, a strand detector means rotatably mounted on said base portion and extending to a remote strand detecting position, latch means for cooperatively retaining said clamping member in a cocked position as said detector means engages a traveling strand, and means for releasing said strand clamping member from the cocked position upon strand discontinuity or loss of strand tension upon actuation of said latch means through said detector means.

8. A strand detector, clamp and severing device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is being supplied and travels under tension for processing or winding comprising; strand clamping members, said members having cooperating strand engaging ribs and strand severing means operatively positioned proximate said ribs, means for urging said clamping members into a clamping and severing position, strand detector means spaced from said members beyond a strand supplying member to engage a traveling strand and detect strand irregularity, cooperating means for cocking said clamping members in an open position while said detector means engages a traveling strand, and means for releasing said clamping members as said detector means senses strand irregularity whereby strand irregularity Will actuate the strand detecting means enabling the clamping members to clamp and sever a strand engaged between the ribs.

9. A strand detector, clamp and severing device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is being supplied and travels under tension for processing comprising; first and second strand clamping members, said first member having a base with upwardly projecting strand engaging ribs and a replaceable strand severing blade, said second member being pivotally mounted to said first member and having a base with a plurality of depending ribs in staggered relation to said lower member ribs for releasably clamping a strand between said ribs when said clamping members are closed, means for yieldably urging said clamping members into the closed position, a strand detector arm having a strand engaging means at one end rotatably mounted on said first member and strand engaging means being spaced from said members and a yarn supplying member to engage a traveling strand and detect strand discontinuity and slack, said detector arm having at the other end a cylindrical stud with a flat latch-receiving recess therein, said flat recess having a shoulder parallel to said strand-engaging finger, pivotal latching means operatively connected to said stud proximate the latch-receiving recess, cocking lever mounted on said upper member, said lever being cooperatively engaged by said pivotal latching means to releasably latch said lever in the cocked open position whereby strand discontinuity or slack will release said strand engaging means, rotating the detector arm and stud to release the pivotal latching means from the latch-receiving recess, and disengage the cocking lever thereby enabling the second member to pivot from the cooked to the closed clamping position, tension a strand between ribs, and sever the strand upon engagement with said blade.

14). A strand detector, clamp and severing device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is being supplied and travels under tension for processing or winding comprising; a pair of cooperating upper and lower strand clamping members, said lower member having a base with a pair of upwardly projecting laterally spaced strand engaging ribs, a strand-severing blade replaccably mounted on said base between said ribs and projecting upwardly substantially the same height as said ribs, said upper member being pivotally mounted to said lower member and having a base and a plurality of depending projecting laterally spaced ribs in staggered relation to said lower member ribs for releasably clamping a strand between said ribs and bases in a closed position of said clamping members, resilient means for urging said clamping members into the closed position, an L-shaped strand detector arm rotatably mounted in said lower member having a strand-engaging arm reaching to a position spaced from said members beyond a yarn supplying member to engage a traveling strand and detect strand discontinuity or slack, said detector arm having the other end thereof a cylindrical stud, said stud having a latch-receiving recess with a depth at least equal to the radius of said stud and a fiat latch shoulder communicating therewith, said shoulder being substantially parallel to said strand-engaging arm, a Z-shaped latch pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lower member with one end thereof operatively connected to said stud proximate the latchreceiving recess, a resilient cocking lever mounted on said upper member and extending therefrom, said lever having a cam thereon, said Z-shaped latch having a lever-locking portion at the other end thereof to releasably lock said lever in the cocked open position whereby strand discontinuity or slack will release the strand-engaging arm rotating the detector arm and stud, releasing the Z-shaped latch from said recess and disengaging said lever from said lever-locking portion of said Z-shaped latch enabling the upper member to pivot from the cocked to the closed clamping position tensioning a strand between ribs and severing the strand upon engagement with said blade.

11. A strand detector and clamp to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is being supplied and travels under tension for processing or winding comprising; a pair of cooperating upper and lower strand clamping members, said lower member having a base with a pair of upwardly projecting laterally spaced strand-engaging ribs, said upper member being pivotally mounted to said lower member and having a base and a plurality of depending projecting laterally spaced ribs in staggered relation to said lower member ribs for releasably clamping a strand between said ribs and bases in the closed position of said clamping members, resilient means for urging said clamping members into a closed position, an L-shaped strand detector arm rotatably mounted in said lower member having at one end strand-engaging means reaching to a position spaced from said members beyond a yarn supplying member to engage a traveling strand and detect strand discontinuity or slack, said detector arm having at one end thereof a cylindrical stud, said stud having a latch-receiving recess and a latch shoulder communicating therewith, a latch pivotally connected intermediate its length to said lower member with one end thereof operatively connected to said stud proximate the latch-receiving recess, a cocking lever mounted on said upper member and extending therefrom, said lever having a cam thereon, said latch having a lever locking portion at the other end thereof to releasably lock said lever in the cocked open position whereby strand discontinuity or slack will release the strand-engaging means rotating the detector arm and stud, releasing the latch from said recess and disengaging said lever from said lever-locking portion of said latch enabling the upper member to pivot from the cocked to the closed clamping position thereby clamping a strand.

12. A strand detector, clamp and severing device to be mounted to a machine on which a continuous strand is being supplied and travels under tension for processing or winding comprising: a pair of strand cooperating clamping members pivotally hinged together in the path of strand travel, one of said clamping members being yieldably biased to the other member into a closed strand clamping position, means on said members for tensioning a strand portion releasably clamped between said members, severing means on one or said clamping members for severing a strand clamped and tensioned between said members, strand detector means having a latch-seating means thereon extending from one of said members and pivotally supported thereon, means on said member other than said member supporting said detector means for retaining said other clampin member in a cooked position, and latch means releasably engaging said clamping member in a cooked position and said latch-seating members for releasing said clamping member from a cocked position upon said detector means encountering strand irregularity, loss of tension or severance to clamp and sever a strand.

13. A strand detector and severing device for mounting on a machine on which a continuous strand is traveling for processing or winding comprising: a pair of strand cooperating clamping members pivotally hinged together in the path of strand travel, one of said members being yieldably biased to the other clamping member into a closed strand clamping position, means on said clamping position, means on said clamping members for tensioning a strand portion releasably clamped within said members, severing means on one of said clamping members for severing a strand clamped and tensioned between said members, strand detector means having a latch-seating means thereon extending from one of said members and pivotally supported thereon, a clamping member cocking lever mounted on said other clamping member other than said member supporting said detector means, latch means releasably engaging said cocking lever and said latchseating means for releasing said cocking lever upon strand detector means engaging strand irregularity, loss of tension of severance to clamp and sever a strand between said clamping members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,2l1,l78 1/1917 Kozlowski 57-87 2,274,826 3/1941 Elvin et al 5787 2,492,968 1/1950 Cooksey 8337O 3,094,030 6/1963 Cerra 83586 X 3,268,972 8/1966 Flori 82-37O X ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

